1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of kitchen appliances, and to the particular field of can openers.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Metal cans are ubiquitous in modern society. Metal cans are used to store a multitude of items, including food as well as other items. All of these cans are used to ensure proper storage of the various items because of the secure nature of the sealing possible with metal cans. However, due to the secure nature of the sealing, it may be difficult to open a metal can. A can opener is often used for that purpose.
Can openers have been used for many years and take many forms, including a simple hand operated knife type device, a hand operated rotating knife device, handle operated devices, and the like. One thing that all of these can openers have in common is the need for some manual dexterity on the part of the user. Often, the user must hold the can in one hand and operate the can opener with the other hand. While this may sound elementary, it can be quite difficult, if not impossible, for a physically challenged person, such as one who has arthritis or who is sight-impaired. Such people may not be able to operate a can opener in the manner intended by a designer.
Furthermore, if a person is sight-impaired, he or she may have to actually feel the blade of a can opener with his or her finger to determine where to place the can to be opened. This is not desirable, since it is preferable that a person not be required to touch the opening blade, especially one that may have been used to open a can of food. Such physically challenged people often require the assistance of another person to perform the simple task of opening a can.
Therefore, there is a need for a can opener that can be manipulated by someone who is physically challenged.
The art does contain many examples of automatic can openers. However, these known automatic can openers are not easily manipulated by a physically challenged user. Even these automatic can openers often require a user to hold a can in a certain position and then fit the can against the opening blade and hold the can or manipulate the opener to open the can. Again, while this may sound elementary to some, it may be difficult if not impossible for someone who is physically challenged.
Therefore, there is a need for an automatic can opener that can automatically set a can with respect to a can opening knife without requiring the user to either manipulate the can or contact the blade.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide an automatic can opener.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a can opener that can be manipulated by someone who is physically challenged.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic can opener that can automatically set a can with respect to a can-opening knife without requiring the user to either manipulate the can or contact the blade.
These, and other, objects are achieved by an automatic can opener comprising a housing having a top end and a bottom end in the set-up configuration, a can-supporting unit located near the bottom end of the housing and including a can-supporting platform having a plurality of suction cups thereon, a lift mechanism located between the can-supporting platform and the bottom end of the housing, the can-supporting platform being movably connected to the housing having a lift mechanism for moving the can-supporting platform between a first location and adjacent to the bottom end of the housing and a second location spaced apart from the first location toward the top end of the housing, and a rotating mechanism for rotating the can-supporting platform about a vertically oriented longitudinal axis, and a control button on the top end of the housing and connected to the lift mechanism and to a power source and activating the lift mechanism when the control button is in an ON configuration; a can opener unit in the housing adjacent to the top end of the housing and having a fixed can-opening knife thereon.
The can opener of the present invention requires only that the user place the can to be opened into the can opener and press a start button. The can opener does the rest. The can opener moves the can up against a can-opening blade while rotating the platform in order for the fixed blade to open the can. Upon detection of completion of opening of the can by a sensor, the can-supporting platform automatically stops rotating and returns to the first location adjacent to the bottom end of the housing. The user then only has to remove the opened can from the device of the present invention. The user does not have to manipulate the can or the can opener, nor does the user have to locate the can-opening blade by touch. The can opener of the present invention is thus safe and easy to manipulate.